Traction-engine



(No Model.) r

C. HIGGINS & J. GREGORY.

v TRACTION ENGINE. No. 460,375. Patented Sept. 29, 1891.

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. WITNESSES: [M n Tom @KZ @WW C'arlwf/ 12w UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

CHARLES HIGGINS AND JOHN GREGORY, OF CLAY CITY, ILLINOIS.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,375, dated September 29, 1891. Application filed May 25, 1891- Serial No.394=,004=. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 14., which are rigidly secured to the boiler 5 Be it known that we, CHARLES HIGGINS and and upon which are pivoted the upwardly- .IOHN GREGORiQcitizens of the United States, extending arms 15, connected together at and residents of Clay City, in the county of their upper ends by pivot rods or shafts 10,

5 Clay and State of Illinois, have invented cerwhich are journaled therein and which carry tain new and useful Improvements in Tracthe flanged belt-tightener wheels 17. Con- 60 tion-Engines; and we do hereby declare that nected with the inner arm 15 at each side of the following is a full, clear, and exact dethe boiler is a crank-arm 18, connected by scription of the invention, which will enable means of rods 19 with lever 20, pivoted to others skilled in the art to which it apperthe boiler near the rear end thereof. These tains to make and use the same, reference belevers work in slotted segments 21, secured 65 ing had to the accompanying drawings, which to the boiler and provided with ratchet-teeth form a part of this specification. 22, which engage with sa d levers and hold Our invention relates to improvements in them in position.

traction-engines of that class known as top- The numeral 23 designates acasing or housmounted center-crank engines, in which the ing of sheet metal orother material secured 7o axle carrying the traction-wheels is driven by to the boiler and entirely surrounding the means of belts and pulley-wheels actuated pulley-wheels, pulleys, and belts connecting by a crank-shaft which receives its motion the same, so as to protect them from mud and from the engine-cylinder. dirt.

One of the objects of the invention is to The operation will be readily understood. 75 provide an improved construction and ar- The belts are tightened by pulling the levers rangement of devices for tightening the driv- 20 backward, which, through the medium of ing-belts. It is also an object to provide a the rods 19, will force the tightener-wheels 25 housing or casing for the belts and pulleys, against the belts and thus cause them to be whereby they are protected from mud and brought into frictional contact with the pul- 8o dirt. Icy-wheels and pulleys. A reverse move- The invention consists in the novel conment will loosen the belts, as will be obvious. struction and combination of parts hereinafter The belt-tighteners and pulley-wheels being fully described, and specifically pointed out on each side of the engine and being entirely in the claim. separate and distinct, those on either side can 8 5 In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is be removed and replaced independently of a side View of a traction-engine constructed each other. according to our invention, the side or outer Having thus described our invention, what wall of the casing or housing being removed. we claim is Fig. 2 is a plan view of the engine. In a traction-engine, the combination, with In the said drawings, the reference-numeral the boiler, the cylinder, the crank-shaft car- 1 designates an ordinary steam-boiler suitrying driving-pulleys,thetraction-wheelsand able for this class of engines, supported at axle, the pulley-wheels secured to said trac- 4 the front by axle 2 and wheels 3 and at the tion-wheels, the loose belts connecting said rear by axle at and traction-wheels 5. The pulley-wheels and pulleys, and the belt-tightlatter may be provided with the ordinary pins eners, of the housing or casing secured to the or projections. Mounted upon the top, the boiler and surrounding and inclosing the boiler in rear of the smoke-stack, is the cylpulley-wheels, pulleys, belts, and belt-tight- 45 inder7, the piston-rod 8 of which is connected eners, substantially as described.

with the crank-shaf t 9, journaled in bearings In testimony that we claim the foregoing as secured to the boiler and carryingatits outer our own we have hereunto aflixed our signaends flanged pulleys 10. The rear or drivtures in presence of two witnesses. ing axle also carries two pulley-wheels 12,

5 which are keyed or otherwise secured to the CHARLES HIGGINS. hubs of the traction-wheels, and over these JOHN GREGORY. pulley-wheels and the pulleys 10 pass loose Witnesses: endless bolts 13. Projecting outwardly from JAMES L. WILTsEY, the boiler at each side are two short shafts CHAS. OHANEY. 

